10 ways to Balance your Hormones and how They Affect your Life

A hormonal imbalance can significantly impact mood, appetite, and overall health. Some factors, including aging, are beyond a person’s control. However, manageable elements such as stress and the diet can also influence hormone levels.

Even small changes in hormone levels can result in adverse effects, including extra stress on the body. Symptoms can grow worse over time, and a hormonal imbalance can lead to chronic issues.

For some people, making simple lifestyle changes can help to restore levels of hormones.

Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance:

Bloating, fatigue, irritability, hair loss, palpitations, mood swings, problems with blood sugar, trouble concentrating, infertility - these are just a few symptoms of hormone imbalance. These compounds affect every cell and system in the body. Hormone imbalance can debilitate you. Some hormonal shifts are normal, like monthly fluctuations of sex hormones responsible for menstruation and ovulation or the changes that occur during pregnancy. Menopause is another time for a normal hormonal shift in a woman's life. Many women may experience weight gain, mood swings, night sweats, and diminished sex drive during this time. Other times these fluctuations may be due to a medication or a medical condition.

1. Balance Your Cortisol

Cortisol is an important hormone that may become imbalanced with stress or illness. Cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands that lie on top of the kidneys. Low intensity exercise can help lower elevated cortisol levels. Stress impacts adrenal function and hormone levels. Get acquainted with hormone imbalance symptoms and signs so you can notice when things in your body and mind don't seem right.

2. Get enough sleep

Sleep may be among the most important factors for hormonal balance. Levels of some hormones may rise and fall throughout the day in response to issues such as the quality of sleep.

According to a study in the International Journal of EndocrinologyTrusted Source, the adverse effects of sleep disturbance on hormones may contribute to:

Regularly getting a full, undisturbed, night’s rest may help the body regulate hormone levels.

3. Exercise

The hormonal effects of regular exercise may prevent overeating. Even short exercise sessions help regulate hormones that control appetite.

4. Eat lots of fiber

Fiber may play an important role in gut health, and it may also help regulate hormones such as insulin.

A study in the journal Obesity notes that some types of fiber work to balance levels of other hormones as well, which may help a person maintain a healthy weight.

5. Eat plenty of fatty fish

The high levels of fats in some fish can contribute to heart and digestive health and may also benefit the brain and central nervous system.

Eating a diet rich in oily fish may help prevent mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety. In some cases, adding oily fish to the diet may contribute to treating the disorders.

The omega-3s in fatty fish may play a particularly significant role in balancing mood, though fully understanding the link will require further research.

 

6. Avoid overeating

Regularly overeating may lead to metabolic issues in the long term, but a study in Obesity found that even short-term overeating changes circulating levels of fats and increases oxidative stress.

The researchers also point to an increase in ceramides, which are fat cells in the skin, noting that a significant increase may promote insulin resistance. They call for further research into this area.

7. Quit smoking tobacco

Tobacco smoke may disrupt levels of several hormones.For example, according to a study in the International Journal of General MedicineTrusted Source, the smoke may alter thyroid hormone levels, stimulate pituitary hormones, and even raise levels of steroid hormones, such as cortisol, which is linked to stress.

8. Be wary of dairy products

Dairy is an important source of nutrients for many people. However, females concerned about levels of reproductive hormones may wish to use caution, especially before consuming cream or yogurt.

9. Address toxicity

We are bombarded daily with chemicals nearly everywhere —in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the products we put on our bodies. Many of these chemicals are considered endocrine or hormone disruptors because they interfere with hormonal production and create wide-ranging damage. [21] Among them include bisphenol A (BPA), found in plastic water bottle and cans, which can disrupt multiple hormonal pathways. [22] Xenoestrogens, chemical compounds that mimic estrogen, can impact testosterone and estrogen production. 

10. Lower inflammation.

Hormonal imbalances can increase inflammation, which in turn can further disrupt hormone production. [24] When your adrenals over-secrete cortisol, other hormones, including insulin, become disrupted, leading to chronic inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet, rich in wild-caught fish and high-fiber plant foods, is your best foundation to lower inflammation. If you aren’t regularly eating fish, consider a quality fish oil to get those crucial anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.

Superfoods to Balance your hormones : 

1. Ashwagandha

This herb also called "Indian Ginseng," influences both GABA and serotonin activity. These two neurotransmitters are involved in relaxation and a balanced, calm response to life. Ashwagandha has been proven to help recovery from adrenal fatigue, moderate depression, and anxiety, and increase energy. Ashwagandha is also used to treat hypothyroidism, arthritis, fibromyalgia, asthma, menstrual problems, and more. Additionally, it may reduce levels of fat and sugar in the blood.

 

Green Tea

Lastly, simple green tea has been scientifically proven to increase neurotransmitter levels. It contains the amino acid L-Theanine, which boosts levels of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, while also reducing the adrenal stress hormone cortisol.

Green tea also contains compounds with antioxidant properties that fight damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants make blood vessels more flexible, helping to keep them from clogging. There is an ever-growing body of evidence that suggests green tea may also help treat the following conditions and diseases: high cholesterol, liver disease, diabetes, IBS, and even cancer.

Galvanised Maca 

Maca, however, is said to do have the rather incredible knack of creating balance – finding out exactly what your body needs and then helping it to achieve that – in a balanced, natural way. So if the hormones are out of balance it will kick start the system so that it can produce them itself. A sort of magical little friend looking at the whole picture in a balanced way and giving the system a nice bit of homeostasis. When I tried Raw Maca, It did upset my stomach big time so I had to lower my consumption. I am so glad that I gave maca a second chance. It has become one of my all time favourite foods!  It helps to balance my hormones (and boy – do I need help with that!). Maca also supports me to cope with stressful situations, where my fight or flight mode has a tendency to go into total overdrive. By consuming the non-raw, gelatinised version I experienced a world of difference. Finally, I got to experience maca to it’s full potential. My body soaked up those health benefits like there was no tomorrow. Now, I enjoy it on a daily basis.